What Good Fortune

Yu Lanyi took Zheng Shanci into a jade shop. The shop wasn’t crowded, mostly filled with people dressed in luxurious clothes. There were jade crowns in various styles: horseshoe-shaped, lotus petal-patterned, openwork, and trident-shaped. 

Zheng Shanci looked at these jade crowns, unable to tell the difference, and his eyes were dazzled. He would rather just tie his hair with a simple hairband to save the trouble.

The shop assistant led them to look around, seemingly wanting to introduce the items, but Yu Lanyi waved his hand, “We’ll look by ourselves.”

Yu Lanyi was very interested in these kinds of accessories. He was good at appraising them and didn’t need someone hovering by his side.

Zheng Shanci followed Yu Lanyi closely.

Yu Lanyi, in a cheerful mood, picked a lotus petal-patterned jade crown. The lotus symbolizes purity and nobility, representing the character of a gentleman. This was something Yu Changxing had told him.

Most of the official families and officials in the Capital City wore lotus petal-patterned jade crowns, pretending to be elegant and considering themselves virtuous. Yu Lanyi thought Zheng Shanci suited the lotus petal-patterned jade crown, seeing him as a gentleman.

Zheng Shanci put on the jade crown, his face as handsome as jade, with eyes like lacquer.

“I think it looks quite good,” Yu Lanyi praised, knowing that Zheng Shanci was good-looking. People rely on clothes, and horses rely on saddles. With this outfit, Zheng Shanci looked even more handsome.

“Try this jade crown too,” Yu Lanyi handed another jade crown to Zheng Shanci.

Zheng Shanci tried it on as instructed.

Yu Lanyi, satisfied, went to pay. He had used up his monthly allowance, but he still had some private savings.

“It looks so good on you, you should wear it more often,” Yu Lanyi advised.

The shopkeeper, seeing Yu Lanyi paying and saying such things, looked at Zheng Shanci with a subtle expression.

Zheng Shanci, a bit helpless, replied with a smile in his voice, “Alright.”

The two walked out of the jade shop together. Yu Lanyi asked Jin Yun to take the black horse for a stroll. The owner didn’t go for a ride but instead walked with the male owner.

Zheng Shanci followed Yu Lanyi as they strolled down the street. He had never felt so relaxed.

Zhu Dianshi pressed someone to the ground, looking fierce, “Behave yourself.”

Seeing Zheng Shanci, Zhu Dianshi was about to salute, but Zheng Shanci shook his head. Zhu Dianshi handed the person over to the yamen officers and only approached Zheng Shanci after the crowd dispersed.

“Zheng Daren, this is a street thug, often stealing small things. He was just released half a month ago and got into trouble again,” Zhu Dianshi hurriedly explained, fearing Zheng Shanci might misunderstand.

“I understand. I remember today is a day off, why are you still…” Zheng Shanci was about to say something when he noticed Zhu Dianshi wasn’t in official attire, just like him, wearing casual clothes.

“I was planning to buy a duck on the street, but then I saw this guy stealing, so I intervened,” Zhu Dianshi indeed had a processed duck in his left hand.

Seeing that everything was fine, Zhu Dianshi bid farewell to Zheng Shanci and Yu Lanyi.

Yu Lanyi commented, “This Zhu Dianshi looks fierce but is responsible.”

Zheng Shanci nodded, “He’s indeed a good person.”

Back home, Zheng Shanci placed the jade crown in the wardrobe and the newly bought books on the bedside table. He also organized Yu Lanyi’s somewhat messy storybooks.

He left the courtyard to find Yu Lanyi, having promised to accompany him on this day off, and Zheng Shanci wouldn’t break his word.

He didn’t encounter Yu Lanyi in the corridor and only found him in the main hall, talking to Jin Yun. As soon as Zheng Shanci arrived, their conversation stopped abruptly.

Zheng Shanci remained calm, not showing any signs of suspicion.

“Lanyi, do you have any plans for the afternoon?”

“Zheng Shanci, is my handwriting a bit ugly?” Yu Lanyi looked at Zheng Shanci eagerly.

Recalling the letters Yu Lanyi had written to him before they got married, Zheng Shanci couldn’t bring himself to lie. He could only tactfully say, “It’s not very good-looking.”

Not very good-looking, isn’t that just ugly? Zheng Shanci actually said his handwriting was ugly. Yu Lanyi felt both angry and aggrieved. Couldn’t he just comfort him by saying his writing was okay but needed more practice?

Yu Lanyi glared at Zheng Shanci in anger.

Zheng Shanci cleared his throat, “Why did you suddenly ask about this?”

Yu Lanyi replied, “Father, Dad, and Elder Brother’s letters have arrived.”

Yu Lanyi had followed Zheng Shanci to Xinfeng County, and at every post station or inn, he would write letters to Marquis Changyang, Yu Fulang, and Yu Changxing. 

This was something he consistently did. Sometimes he would write at the post station’s table, other times lying on the bed, holding a brush, placing the letter on the pillow, writing gently, frowning. 

Sometimes, when he wrote something happy, he would become animated.

His expressions were so rich, and with his striking appearance, Zheng Shanci couldn’t help but watch him.

Marquis Changyang’s letter was full of fatherly advice, which Yu Lanyi impatiently skimmed through. He knew that just reading it would make Marquis Changyang feel gratified.

Yu Fulang’s letter was about his daily life and his relationship with Zheng Shanci.

“Long time no news, I miss you deeply. Are you well in Xinfeng County? Is your daily life comfortable? Is Zheng treating you well? You were pampered since childhood, but I believe you can overcome difficulties there. … If there’s anything important, remember to write to me. We are in the Capital City, you need not worry.”

Reading Yu Fulang’s letter, Yu Lanyi thought of his dad, his nose turning a bit red.

He then opened Yu Changxing’s letter, which was formal and straightforward. The letter advised him to stay in Xinfeng County for a while, promising to find a way, and to write if he faced any grievances. 

There was another sheet of paper, which puzzled Yu Lanyi, as his elder brother had already concluded the letter. It turned out to be the letter he had sent to Yu Changxing.

Yu Changxing had circled the words he had misspelled and the ones that were unclear and looked like strange shapes.

The final note read: Let your brother-in-law teach you.

Yu Changxing had anticipated that Yu Lanyi’s handwriting would be poor and that he didn’t like reading or writing letters, but he hadn’t expected it to be this bad. Frowning, Yu Changxing had included Yu Lanyi’s letter in the envelope and sent it back.

Seeing Yu Changxing’s letter, Yu Lanyi asked Zheng Shanci about his handwriting.

Of course, he couldn’t say this to Zheng Shanci. Yu Lanyi modestly said, “I suddenly realized my handwriting needs more practice, so please teach me how to write.”

This time, he carefully added a “please.”

Zheng Shanci smiled, “Alright, every day after work, I’ll go to the study to teach you how to write.”

Yu Lanyi immediately felt that with Zheng Shanci as a good teacher, he would definitely improve his handwriting.

Then he suddenly remembered, “Zheng Shanci, even though you’re a third-class jinshi, you’re more knowledgeable than me.” Yu Lanyi nodded affirmatively.

“You’re quite impressive.”

How did he change his tone so quickly? Zheng Shanci thought of past events.

“Of course, you’re still the lowest-ranked official in our family,” Yu Lanyi frowned, “My elder brother is a martial arts champion, my second cousin is a second-class jinshi, and my cousin is a deputy general.”

Zheng Shanci: “…”

Can’t outlearn them, can’t outfight them, I can’t live like this.

Yu Lanyi’s eyes sparkled with laughter, “But I believe in you.”

Facing Yu Lanyi’s gaze, Zheng Shanci couldn’t help but smile. The days spent with Yu Lanyi were filled with laughter.

“You won’t disappoint me,” Yu Lanyi said, punching Zheng Shanci’s shoulder.

Zheng Shanci: “…Of course.”

…

Yu Lanyi placed the letters in a small box, took out some paper, and casually wrote a few words. They indeed looked crooked, not like someone who had attended private school. Embarrassed, he scratched his face, remembering how his teacher used to be infuriated by him.

He didn’t understand why he felt sleepy whenever the teacher spoke, and then he would involuntarily fall asleep. Yu Lanyi thought he couldn’t embarrass himself and needed to practice his handwriting until it looked decent.

He found something to do. Every day when Zheng Shanci went to work, he would practice three pages of calligraphy at home, and if he had time, he would arrange to hang out with Xu Ge’er.

The first batch of chili sauce from the chili sauce workshop had been opened. The yamen officers brought a jar of chili sauce for Qi County Deputy, Jiang Registrar, and Zhu Dianshi to taste. Qi County Deputy took a spoonful, his eyes lighting up, “This chili sauce is delicious, better than the ones I’ve had before. It’s a bit spicy, but once you try it, you want more.”

Jiang Registrar tasted it and agreed it was good, and Zhu Dianshi was even more approving.

The chili sauce matter was settled. Zheng Shanci had the people from the Zheng family’s restaurant take the chili sauce to the restaurant to use as a seasoning to build a reputation. Zheng Shanci handed some documents to Qi County Deputy and Jiang Registrar to handle.

Qi County Deputy still looked surprised, “Zheng Daren, if I handle these documents and something goes wrong, it might implicate you.”

“Qi Daren, as the County Deputy, you’re supposed to handle some of the yamen’s documents. As the County Magistrate, I can’t do everything myself.”

Qi County Deputy still harbored some apprehension and hostility towards Zheng Shanci, but he couldn’t help but admire him. Knowing when to let go is not something everyone can do.

Jiang Registrar didn’t say anything, just took his share of the documents.

The court had issued some orders, and as a grassroots official, the County Magistrate had to implement them. Zheng Shanci glanced at them; they emphasized water conservancy and farmland.

He thought about having Wangfu tell Jiang Registrar to write a notice to be posted outside the yamen for the people to read, encouraging water conservancy and farmland.

Zheng Shanci had long had plans; water conservancy was necessary, but the yamen needed money.

Now that he had distributed the documents to Qi County Deputy and Jiang Registrar, Zheng Shanci felt much more relaxed.

After handling official duties, he went to the courtyard to examine the soil carefully. To quickly restore soil fertility, fertilizer was needed.

Having read many books, Zheng Shanci’s memory of fertilizers was a bit vague, so he could only try to formulate it himself.

Zheng Shanci didn’t mind the dirt or staining his official robe. He bent down, observing carefully.

…

The Zheng family’s restaurant launched new dishes, all spicy. Whether it was chicken, fish, or duck feet, they were all spicy, and the more people ate, the more they enjoyed it. The Zheng family’s restaurant also introduced herbal tea. Drinking some herbal tea tasted great, and diners couldn’t stop thinking about it.

The Zheng family’s restaurant easily made a name for their chili sauce.

Zhu Dianshi liked dining at the Zheng family’s restaurant. He also ordered spicy dishes, feeling invigorated and happier after eating. With the people of Xinfeng County loving such dishes, their chili sauce would sell even better.

“Chili sauce is sold at a shop for twelve wen a jar. We buy it and can cook with it at home for a long time. It’s not just for one meal, it’s worth it,” some diners calculated.

Diners who couldn’t frequently visit the Zheng family’s restaurant also focused on the chili sauce. After all, they wanted to eat what they liked. Besides, the price of the chili sauce was similar to others.

The chili sauce workshop was set up in the suburbs, and the chili sauce shop was located on the busiest street, visible to everyone. After all, the yamen managed the land and rent, so finding a good location was easy.

As soon as the shop assistant put the chili sauce on the shelves, people came to buy it.

“Is your chili sauce the same as the one at the Zheng family’s restaurant?” a middle-aged man asked.

“Yes, sir, we have some chili sauce available for tasting.”

The middle-aged man didn’t hesitate, tasted it, and was pleasantly surprised, “It’s indeed the same as the Zheng family’s restaurant.”

The middle-aged man bought twenty jars of chili sauce, giving a child five wen to inform the shop assistant to help move the chili sauce.

It turned out the middle-aged man also ran a restaurant, and the Zheng family’s restaurant had taken away a lot of his business.

Hearing that this shop had the same spicy dishes as the Zheng family’s restaurant, he was tempted to buy.

Although their restaurant’s taste wasn’t as good as the Zheng family’s, adding chili sauce would improve the flavor significantly.

By then, advertising the same taste as the Zheng family’s restaurant would attract many diners.

They didn’t dare to play tricks with the Zheng family’s restaurant, or they’d be seen as foolish.

The shopkeeper had the assistant help the middle-aged man load the chili sauce onto a cart, smiling, “We’ll give you an extra jar of chili sauce as our first customer.”

The middle-aged man smiled sheepishly.

Soon after, scattered diners also came to buy chili sauce. The first day started well, and Shopkeeper Jiang was pleased. With the yamen backing them, they weren’t afraid of doing business with anyone, and profits and losses were up to the yamen.

Making money was naturally good, allowing them to earn more. If they didn’t make money, they weren’t worried, as the yamen supported them. With such favorable conditions, Shopkeeper Jiang immediately took the position.

Most of the chili sauce was sold to taverns and restaurant friends, as well as some merchants who ordered chili sauce to sell in nearby counties for a profit. The chili sauce workshop had a good start.

Yu Lanyi and Xu Ge’er strolled the street, noticing the line at the chili sauce shop. Xu Ge’er lowered his eyes and said, “Since Zheng Daren arrived, Xinfeng County has changed a lot.”

Zheng Shanci had resolved some unsolved cases, earning the trust of Xinfeng County’s people.

Yu Lanyi said, “There’s good food now.”

Xu Ge’er smiled at Yu Lanyi’s words.

Yu Lanyi took Xu Ge’er to eat at the Zheng family’s restaurant.

Promoting his own business, not letting his money become someone else’s.

“Lanyi, how long have you been married to Zheng Daren? I always feel like you’re newlyweds.”

Yu Lanyi looked up, thought for a moment, “Almost half a year.”

They had been married for almost half a year, having spent over two months on the road.

“Did you get married before Zheng Daren took office?”

Yu Lanyi hummed, continuing to eat. He thought about how he and Zheng Shanci had been married for so long, yet he still didn’t know what it felt like to be a Ge’er in the storybooks.

Xu Ge’er nodded, “You’re really lucky.”

When Zheng Shanci returned home, Yu Lanyi was already waiting in the study. After changing out of his official robe, Zheng Shanci went to teach Yu Lanyi how to write.